At Least Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives during a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were hurt, among them five who remain in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the most recent official data show, and such recruitment events typically draw massive gatherings and often lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to allow for more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
